Fnpticale.
C.§.0. Az 130
Canton, 10th November, 1869.
Mr. Robertson
N79.
1 Inclosure.
Received by
With reference
to the Vice Roys
Proclamation prohibiting trading
junks from carrying.
stink frots.
Enclosure No. 1 in
Governor
Fir Richard Graves MacDonnell;
Respatch #2 847 of 10th January
4870.
#
Proclaination by Cнev, Magistrate of the Nanhai District (Canton).
The Magistrate bas received the following instructions from His Honor the Judicial Commissioner :→
"On the 24th day of the 12th month of the 7th year of Tangche (February 5th 1889) the Judicial Commissioner received instructions, as follows, from the Viceroy :
In consequence of the frequency with which acts of piracy have been committed at sea by trading and fishing vessels, it has been agreed with the British Admiral Keppel that a stringent prohibition should be promulgated forbidding trading vessels procending to sea from carrying any other aruamet (in the shape of trearins) than guns and moskets, the use of stinkpots being interdicted, and that fishing vessels should not be allowed to carry either an armament or stinkpots Subsequently to thi, petitions were on repeated occasions presented by Chên Chih-Kai and others, representing the shipping interests of the Hiangshan District, setting forth that in the various maritime divisions of the Pro- vince a great variety of junka exist, differ- ing in numerous particulars, and employed indifferently as traders or in the fishery, A sweeping prohibition against carrying an armament would be prejudicial, it was added, to the safety of life and property afloat. do.. e.. &o.
The Viceroy, animated by the desire to afford the fullest consideration and regard to the interests of the people, deemed it bet- ter that a strict code of regulations should be drawn up, in order to avoid the danger of letting precautions against piracy be- come a dead letter, in preference to clash- ing with the public interests by rigidly fol- lowing out the letter of the existing law. He therefore drew up a set of rules, requir ing the establishment of Ngaochang (Super intendents of Shipping) and Kiachang (tything chiefs), and the issue of registers and deposit of bonds. These were commu- nicated to all functionaries exercising juria- diction along the coast, with orders for the issue by them of a notification to the mas ters of all trading and fishing vessels within their respective districts, enjoining upon these latter that in all cases of the construc- tion of sea-going vessels the provisions of the Ordinances must be fulfilled in respect to the taking of bonds, inspection, issue of registers and establishment of Nganchang and Kiachang; and further that all vessels on going to aca must carry their official re- gister on board for purposes of examination when necessary.
The local authorities were also commanded to institute a thorough scrutiny with reference to all vessels, en- rolling them in tythings aud inscribing them in registries, the heads of tythings being required to give bonds which, after being authenticated by the local authorities it was directed should be transmitted to the superior departments in the 12tb month of every year. The British Consul, Mr Ro bertson, has now forwarded to the Viceroy a copy of the Station Orders which the British Admiral Keppel proposes issuing with respect to joint operations for the suppression of piracy; and this has been transmitted to the Judicial Commissioner for his inspection and report.
The report having been received and orders issued with reference thereto, the Viceroy has further to point out that a passage occurs in the Station Orders to the effect that trading and tishing vessels will be overhauled and their papers examined, the object of which is the due discrimina- tion between vessels of good or piratical character, in the course of joint action with the Chinese Government. It is necessary, therefore, that copies of the register issued by the subordinate authorities to the junk- men be sent to the British Consul, Mr Robertson, for transmission to Adroiral Keppel, in order that the officers under his command may be provided with the neces sary means of comparison.
A form of Register is accordingly devis- ed and a copy thereof is transmitted to the Judicial Commissioner, who will issue orders to the District Magistrates to proceed at once to have copies printed in conformity with the same, which they are to stamp and issue, notifying to all masters of sea going vessels within their districts that the
307
enrohneut 110st be finally completed within six months from the commencement
of the eighth year of Tungche (ie., by the 7th August 1869). All who have not already taken out registers must hasten to apply for the samo, a:d those who have already received a document of the kind must exchange it for the new register with- out delay. The aurolment and registration must be completely effected within the above-named period of six months; other- wise, any vessels not having complied with this requirement on being overhauled by naval cruisers at sea and found without a register will forthwith be seizu and handled over to the tribunals to be proceeded against."
The form of Register aunexed to the foregoing instructious is worded as follows:
Henceforward in respect to all sea- going merchant and fishing vessels, report shall be made at the time of their building to the authorities of the District, who will require the deposit of guarantees by the Superintendents of shipping, tything men, and neighbours, before granting permission to build. Un completion of the vessel, report must be made to the authorities, who after inspection will issue a Register, specifying in detail the mate and age of the junkmaster, the name of the vessel, the names and description of the steersman and crew, the dimensions and build of the vessel, her number of masts, and the parti- culars of her armament In each District every ten vessels will be enrolled as a Kia (tyting) and from among the masters of the said 10 junks a man of expor ence and probity shall be chosen to ro. as chief of the tything. If any piracy be committed by one of the said number of vessels, and n uformation be lodged by the remainder, they shall be held equally responsible for the off nce. For every ten Kia a Ngao- chang (Superintendent of hipping) shall he appointe.i, whose special duty it will be to exercise supervision over them.
If in any District the number of vessels do not amount to one hundred (ten Kia), a Ngao-chang sball still be appointed; and when the number of vessels exceeds one hundred and fifty, two Ngao-chung shall be appointed. Trading vessels shall be classed in the tything by pairs, according to the number of their inasts; and of fishing junks ten pairs shall constiture a tything. The Register shall be renewed at the end of every five years; aud all vessels, whether employed as traders or in fishing, must carry their regis. ters on lourd whenever they put to sea, and be prepared to submit the same to the inspection of all armed cruisers belonging to the varions naval stations, which will le authorized to seize and band over to the local authorities for trial any vessel found unprovided with a register. Ji, on exami- ! nation, proof of the commission of piratical offences be elicited, the individuals thus seized shall be punished according to the law; and in the case of pirates being captured, on ascertaining the shipping division and bything to which the vesaul apprehended belongs, all parties concerned shall be respectively proceeded against according to the degree of their responsi bility.
'No vessel of any description whatsoever shall be allowed to carry on board the missile known as the stiukpot, and viola- tion of this rule shall be duly punished.""
The above instructious having been received, the Magistrate has directed his police to give notice to all concerned, and to call upon them to make report in confor mity with the same, in order that all vessels may be registered in tythings and be placed under bonds; in addition whereto, he issues this present Proclamation. Wherefore, ie makes known to the masters of all trading and #shing vessels. Be it known to ye that in obedience to the regulations now issued all seagoing vessels henceforward built must be reported to the Maisuracy, as the rules provide, at the time of build- jug, in order that guarantees may be taken, whereupon, and not before, permission for building will be granted. On the com- pletion of any vessel, the same must be reported for inspection and for the issue of an official register, Shipping Superintend,
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